Canadiens News

Dates to remember

On Monday, we learned that the Canadiens will begin the season in Buffalo on October 13. Now, we know when they’ll be playing the remaining 81 contests between mid-October and early April.

You’ll notice that the annual trips to Western Canada and California have essentially been flipped around. While the trek to Alberta and British Columbia generally takes place at the beginning of the season, this year it will happen in March. Meanwhile, the Canadiens will pay a visit to San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim at the end of November and on into early December.

Fortunately, Canadiens fans won’t have to wait too long to see the reigning Stanley Cup champions at the Bell Centre. The Penguins and Sidney Crosby will be in town for the home opener on October 18.

On October 29, the first-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft could be in Montreal when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Bell Centre to take on their Original Six rivals.

As per usual come the holiday season, Michel Therrien’s troops will hit the road. From December 23 to January 7, the Canadiens will play seven consecutive road games, including a New Year’s Eve tilt at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

From January 27-30, most NHL players will enjoy some much-needed rest while the NHL All-Star Game is played in Los Angeles. It will mark the third time that the City of Angels will play host to the annual event.

The annual Family Weekend will be held in early February with back-to-back games scheduled for 1 p.m. The Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers will be in town to mark the occasion at the Bell Centre.

The home portion of the regular season will come to an end for the Canadiens on April 7 with a tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Then, the team will travel to Detroit immediately after the game to play the final regular season game in Joe Louis Arena history.